I didn't get to work on Ole Red at all tonight. My little white Jeep has become my Daily driver for the long drive to work in Everett and back to Oak Harbor, every day. It's had a hub that I have known was bad for a long time. Well, the long drive finally put it over the edge and it almost caught on fire on me today. So, after work it got an emergency Hub-ectomy...LMAO. Never got started until almost 7 do i finished up around 9 and time to hit the hay. I will get back at it tomorrow. I guy has to keep the DD going. that one brings home the bacon.

 

is it armored up yet?

 

Here is what Ole Red looks like as of tonight. The front wheel wells have been completely stripped and the fender flares removed and the fenders are all ready to be cut. The bumper and all OEM rusty, nasty and bent bracketry has been removed from the front of the Jeep. Tomorrow I will install my winch bumper and winch. I Have decided I will cut the fenders up to the line where the top of the stock flares was. Basically just cut all of the dirty spot off. I don't need to trim a lot with the bigger lift. I will just do a basic cut and fold on the rear wheel wells. I also got my drop bracket support brackets installed. If I get this whole up coming weekend to work on my Jeep. I should be able to have it completely done by Sunday including all armor and my CB installed. I found out while I was removing the front bumper that this Jeep has been smacked in the front end a couple of times during its life. I don't remember removing all of this stuff from the front end being half as much of a PITA on my gray Jeep as it was on this one.

 

So, last night I finally finished removing all of the extra bracing that had been installed by the PO to cover up a front end smash my Jeep had apperantly been involved in. I've taken apart a few Cherokees in my days but none had as much extra crappy looking and very rusty bracketry on the front end. Any way I had set the winch and the pieces of the bumper out by the Jeep and realized it was late and I was tired so I will get right on installing that tomorrow. I also removed the horns for now and moved the vaccuum ball from where it was in the bumper to up inside the engine compartment and got it all plumbed so it will still work right in it's new home. The trimming, so far, has gone better than on my old Jeep and it looks much cleaner.

 

The front bumper and winch are on. it is really starting to look like a wheeling Jeep, now.

 

It took a little longer to put the bumper on than I expected it would. The holes in,th frame were a little,different than on my other Jeep. The three bolts on the drivers side that hold the steering box in are also bumper brace bolts....so you have to hold upbthe bumper, jold up the steering box and blindly feed th bts through an out sode brace, the bumper support, the frame, the steering box adapter and the steering box. It is a wondeful experience. The rest of th bumper went,farirly smooth after I tracked down all of the bolts. Im still trying to,figure out where the bolts that hd the winch on the bumper, are. I will figure that out tonight along witj getting it wired up to the battery, getting the hook put on and doing an op check.

 

Sorry about all of the poor spelling in that last post. I did it on my cell phone. PHAT FINGERS...lol.

 

Looking sweet buck sure is tall though lol btw u ever get that measurement for me?

 

So, I made some pretty good head way on Ole Red today. I got all 4 of the wheel wells trimmed to day and I got my rear quarter panel guards put on. I really dont think I have any worrys with tires rubbing. I was going to leave the stock rear flares on until I realized that if I keep them on with the rear quarter guards, they hae to be trimmed to fit over them. Well, I broke every one of the small 10mm fasteners that hold the flares on as I removing them, just like I always do. So I decided to keep the rear flares off and do a cut and fold so that is exactly what I did.

 

Like I said before, I really don't think tires rubbing will be a problem. That was one of my biggest gripes with my old Jeep was the front tires alway rubbed when I was wheeling.

 

This was my first cut and fold on an XJ ever. I really think it came out looking pretty clean. I tried to do a quick install of my gas tank skid plate before leaving for the night. Halfway through it I realized the tow hitch will need to be removed so the skid plate can be mounted under it. I decided to just stop at that point and I will hit it again tomorrow.

 

Looks awesome buck!! one more day of work and she will be ready! Good job on the rear cut and fold!

 

Well, guys, Ole Red and I made it to Elbe for an awesome time of hanging out with the Jeep Unit, just like always. He actually did pretty darn good for such a rushed build. I had a few of the typical growing pains of a new rigs first run. The driver's side rear shock mount broke off, the drivers side front (short side) D30 axle knuckle broke (I had my ready up spare so I was only stopped along the trail for 35 minutes...lol...my buddy timed me), and halfway up a pretty knarly bolder strown section of the new trail they just built, my winch decided to give up the ghost. Luckily my son had already taken the bypass and he was up top where he could winch me up the rest of the way. So, overall not too bad. The new 35 inch MTRs were great. I'm very happy I bought them. Oh, I also have something going on with my rear axle seals. I noticed after we had Ole Red loaded up on the trailer for the trip home that gear oil was leaking out the ends of both of the rear axle tubes so, I need to address that as well. I will get him tweaked into shape and setup soon. So, I will continue this thread for anybody who is interested in what I do to fix the shake down gremlins. I should have some new pics and even videos to post on here soon. Lots of people were taking pics and videos but i wasn't one of them...lol.

 

Hope to see some pics I need a jeep oft own! I'm upgrading my wife's and I miss driving one everyday

 

Hears a group pic